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Orange Corners Bangladesh Incubation Programme kicks off with Cohort 1
The inaugural cohort of the Orange Corners Incubation Programme started on
July 25, 2023, after a rigorous selection process comprising two rounds of
application reviews and two-day
Selection Boot Camp.
From 229 teams who
applied, only 14 were selected to join Cohort 1: BRTL, Boichitro, Countree,
Drip Irrigation BD Ltd (DIBL), Hydrosense BD, MasterCourse, O-Zone, Science
Bee, Shapla, ToguMogu, TOYO, Vertical Innovations Limited, Ecolery, and
CarboBang! Learn more about the teams
here. To get regular updates on Cohort 1, follow
us on social media!
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Gearing up for Cohort 2!
Meanwhile, YY Ventures is gearing up to welcome a new wave of early-stage
entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and initiatives joining the 2nd Cohort
of the Incubation Programme! We officially launched applications on September
24, 2023, and are now accepting submissions from aspiring and early-stage
entrepreneurs from all over Bangladesh. Ideal candidates are young entrepreneurs
aged below 35 years who have unique ideas for addressing any one of the SDGs in
Bangladesh. They have a registered (or soon to be registered) startup or SME,
and a strong founding team with at least one female member in a leadership role.
Most importantly, they can commit full time to a hands-on incubation programme of six months.
Visit this website to learn more
about Orange Corners in Bangladesh, and apply for Cohort 2 of the Incubation programme.
If you have any questions, write to us at orangecornersbangladesh@gmail.com.
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Highlights from 13th Social Business Day 2023
In partnership with the Yunus Centre and the Albukhary International
University, YY Ventures organized the 13th Social Business Day in
Langkawi, Malaysia on July 27-28, 2023. Social Business Day is an
annual global gathering of social entrepreneurs, academicians, and
thought-leaders advocating for social business as a tool to create
a sustainable and just future.
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This year, this prestigious global gathering was curated on the theme
of "War, Peace, and Economics: Future of Human Beings," with a stellar
line-up of inspirational speakers such as Nobel Peace Laureate Professor
Muhammad Yunus, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad, Nobel
Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Columnist and Activist, Marina Mahathir;
President of International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, and many others.
Attended by 600+ global and national leaders, Nobel Peace Laureates, Social
Business practitioners, and changemakers from 31 countries around the world,
the 13th Social Business Day was a testament to the global reach and impact
of the Social Business movement. You can see more photos
here
.
Read this blog
by Professor Muhammad Yunus on the theme of the 13th SocialBusiness
Day, “War, Peace and Economics: Future of Human Beings”, where he says:
"Within the little time we have, only super bold actions from today can save the human beings and other life-forms on this planet."
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Social Fiction Design Competition
YY Ventures launched the Social Fiction Design Competition in collaboration
with Yunus Centre to encourage creative thinking in visionaries and
dreamers to envision a future where social innovation has flourished. The
theme ‘life of a young person in the world of 2050’ called for narratives
that explore the positive impact of cutting-edge technologies, sustainable
practices, and inclusive societies on the life of a young individual in 2050.
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We received 656 applications from across 70+ countries, and after a
rigorous selection process, the top 10 applicants were shortlisted:
Dooshima Tsee from Zambia, Wan Faizal Bin Mohd Anwar from Malaysia,
Rubén Chamizo Pajuelo from Spain, Nguyễn Đặng Uyên Nhi from Vietnam,
Leonor Costa from Portugal, Anne Julliene Barcelona from the United
States, Neha Sabu from India, Amit Kumar Mishra from Nepal, Tyfur
Rahman from Bangladesh, and Keshav Mishra from India.
They joined a workshop on ‘Crafting Your Story’ facilitated by Akkie Okma,
Technical Advisor at YY Ventures, to learn how to refine their pitch
through powerful storytelling. This was followed by a final pitch event
chaired by Lamiya Morshed, Executive Director of Yunus Centre & Chairman
of YY Ventures; Jacqueline Strayer, Faculty Lead of the Social Impact
Fellows Program at New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of
Business; and Sadia Hossain, Chief Operating Officer of YY Ventures.
After all finalists pitched their social fiction, Amit Kumar from Nepal
was selected as the winner of the Social Fiction Design Competition. He
was announced as the winner at the 13th Social Business Day 2023 at Langkawi,
Malaysia. His exceptional vision captivated our hearts and minds, making him
a standout champion of this creative and visionary journey. Read more about
the competition here.
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Highlights from the 3ZERO Club Convention
The 3ZERO Club Convention took place in the picturesque island of Langkawi,
Malaysia, on July 29, 2023, uniting over 100 delegates, including 3ZERO Club
members, 3Z Support Persons, and dedicated representatives of 3Z Organizations,
hailing from a diverse array of 18 countries around the globe.
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The Convention was a platform for the 3Z Global Centre to proudly announce
the successful completion of the second year of the 3ZERO Club's operations.
We collectively celebrated the milestone of having established a remarkable
1300 3ZERO Clubs by July 2023. One of the highlights of the event was the
opportunity for members from 10 3ZERO Clubs based in Malaysia and Taiwan to
showcase the innovative products and initiatives they have spearheaded. These
exceptional endeavors have not only sparked transformative changes but also
provided tangible solutions to address the pressing challenges within their
respective communities.
To learn more visit our website.
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Planting seeds of transformation in Central African Republic
YY Ventures is back in Central African Republic (CAR), this time with
Welthungerhilfe, Concern Worldwide, Tearfund and the European Union to
conduct a Feasibility Study on Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Access
to Sustainable Financial Services for young people and women. Delving
into how entrepreneurship can be harnessed to enhance agro-pastoral
production and value chain development in the CAR, we are conducting a
comprehensive study to understand how we can leverage the power of social
entrepreneurship to sustainable development in the region. Follow us on
Facebook for more updates from the ground!
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So far, we've held Focus Group Discussions in Bimbo, Mbiki, Boali, and Damara regions of CAR to understand the needs, motivations, and obstacles faced by youth, particularly women, regarding agricultural entrepreneurship and financial services. In addition, we've conducted desk research and mapped the landscape to identify key stakeholders and potential partners in CAR who can support financial services for youth and women. Our aim is to build a network of partners, strengthen project alliances, and enhance financial inclusion efforts in these regions.
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YY Ventures backs Bridging Gaps in Uganda and Westerwelle Foundation in Tanzania
In 2022, we collaborated with the Yunus Centre and the Yunus + You – The
YY Foundation to launch the East Africa Social Business Ecosystem Builders
project with the goal of introducing and promoting the concept of social
business in the region while identifying the unique needs and challenges
within East Africa's social business ecosystem.This year, we hosted a
learning journey as a capacity-building initiative to empower thirteen
ecosystem builders from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Through this
learning journey, they participated in a series of workshops, guided by
our experts, to develop robust social business support programs
tailored to local youth.
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Inspired by their newfound knowledge and vision, seven of the thirteen
non-profit entities applied for a matching fund of up to EUR 25,000
to execute their program activities. Following a rigorous selection
process, two organizations were chosen to receive the matching fund
support as part of the East Africa Social Business Ecosystem Builders
Project: Bridging Gaps
in Uganda and Westerwelle Foundation in Tanzania.
To learn more about these entities and their work, read our article
here.
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Inspiring Change at the Middle East Matchup Forum 2023
We are excited to share that YY Ventures was the Social Impact Partner
at the Middle East Matchup Fund Forum held on September 11-12, 2023 in
Dubai, UAE. Our Founder & Managing Director, Shazeeb M Khairul Islam
shared valuable insights from his entrepreneurial journey supporting
Social Business in Bangladesh and beyond over the last decade. His
inspirational talk left a lasting impression, showcasing the power of
commitment and dedication to creating meaningful change. On the following
day, Shazeeb joined the Impact Investment Panel, shedding light on YY Ventures'
distinctive approach to supporting early-stage entrepreneurs with access to funding and resources. Watch the event highlights here
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Join our team!
We have multiple exciting job opportunities available at YY Ventures!
Visit our website to check out the roles, and if you think you’re a
great fit, send your resume and cover letter via email to
careers@yy.ventures.
We look forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to our team!
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Congratulations Ilma!
We celebrate Ilma Chowdhury’s new role as Manager of Finance & Accounts.
She has made an outstanding contribution to our organization over the last
year, and we look forward to seeing her lead the team to ensure our
continued growth and stability.
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Gratitude
for Daisy, Hossain, Ozair and Rizvi!
This quarter, we also bid farewell to Wahida Akhtar Daisy, Hossain Kabir,
Ozair Ahmad, and Rizvi Ahmed. Their dedication and hard work have been
instrumental in our success, and we are truly grateful for their time
with us. As they embark on their new journeys, we extend our warmest
wishes for her future endeavors!
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